Apparatus for distributing granular or pulverulent material



1MAL

Oct. 18, 17938. J. s. BENNETT APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING GRANULAR ORPULVERULENT MATE Filed Jan. l0, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet l LAL Oct. 18,'1938.

J. s. BENNETT APPARATUS FOR DISTIIBUTING GRANULAR OR PULVERULENT MATERFiled Jan. 10, 1936 Get. 18, `1938. J. s. BENNETT APPARATUS FORDISTRIBUTING GRANULAR OR PULVERULENT MATERIAL 3 Sheets-Sheet- 3 FiledJan. l0, 1936 Patented Oct. 18, 1938 i UNITED STATES APPARATUS FORDISTRIBUTING GRANU- LAR OR PULVERULENTv MATERIAL Joseph S. Bennett,Merion, Pa., assignor to American Engineering Company, Philadelphia,Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application January 10, 1936, SerialNo. 58,444

8 Claims.

This invention relates to material distributing apparatus, and moreparticularly to apparatus for distributing granular or powderousmaterials among aplurality of feeding devices.

IN5 One object of the present inventionA is to provide generallyimproved distributing apparatus for granular or pulverulent materials.

Another object is to provide improved apparatus for evenly distributingfuel, such as coal, coke,

iz) and cinders, among a series of stoker feeding devices so that thefuel fed to the furnace Will be substantially uniform throughout.

Another object is to provide improved material chutes havingcompartments therein for receiving materials of different kinds, thechutes being so constructed as to evenly distribute materials vamong aseries of receiving devices.

Other and further objects will become apparent as the description of theinvention progresses.

Of the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View of a stoker furnace showing one formof distributing means associated therewith.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevational View of one of the stoker fuel feedingdevices and the associated hopper, showing a portion of the distributingapparatus.

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view partly in section taken substantiallyalong line 3--3 of Fig. 1. 30 Fig. 4 is a plan view of the apparatusshown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a front elevational view partly in section of an alternativeconstruction.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially 35 along line 6 6 of Fig.5, and

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are sectional views taken substantially along linesI-'I, 8 8, and 9 9 respectively, of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral I desig- 40 nates generally, afurnace equipped in the present instance with a multiple retort,underfeed stoker 2. Stoker 2 comprises the usual alternately disposedretorts 3 and tuyre rows 4. Fuel is supplied to the stoker 2 from ahopper 5 disposed near the front end thereof, and a series of rams 5operating in cylinders I feed predetermined amounts of the fuelgravitating into the cylinders from said hopper upon each reciprocationthereof. The bottom of each retort 3 comprises a series of fuel feedingpushers 8 which underfeed the fuel in the retorts in a well knownmanner. The rams 6 and pushers 8 are operated byany suitable powermechanism 9, they being operatively connected thereto by a link andlever mechanism indicated generally by the numeral li). Hopper isprovided with a partition I E which divides the space therein in to twocompartments I2 and I3, the former of which may receive coal or cokefrom a chute I4, while the CII latter may receive cinders or powderousfuel from spouts I5, as will appear more fully'hereinafter. Fig. 2 showsa ram 6 in its advanced position. Upon recession thereof, after afeeding operation, the fuel in compartment I3 will, first gravitate intothe cylinder l, after which fuel from compartment I2 will enter saidcylinder. As the ram is then actuated in the 4feeding direction theheavier materials gravitating in the cylinder from compartment I2 willbe pushed over the lighter materials, as shown in Fig. 2. The lighterfuel, being thus covered by a layer of heavier fuel, will not be blownfrom the grates by the draft air, and as a result complete combustion ofall of the fuel fed to the furnace is assured. Chutes I4 may be of theconical type shown and described in United States Patent No. 1,947,011,and each receives fuel from overhead bunkers (not shown) through a spoutI6. By this construction the large and small particles of fuelgravitating into each chute are evenly distributed over the entire widthof the discharge end thereof, and consequently each of the associatedfuel feeding devices receives an equal quantity of fuel. e

The apparatus for distributing cinders or powderous fuel to compartmentI3 of hopper 5 consists -of a receiving chamber I1 which receivesmaterials from any suitable hopper (not shown) through a spout I8.Chamber I 'I comprises a frustro-conical casing I9 having a conicaldistributing member mounted therein in spaced relation with the wallsthereof. Chamber II is therefore of substantially conical form, .havingan annular -discharge opening at the lower end thereof. The upper endsof spouts I5 are secured to a flange 2| of casing I9 and communicatewith the discharge end of chamber I 1. As shown more particularly inFigs. 3 and 4, the spouts I5 are so arranged that the, lower' ordischargey ends thereof enter the upper end of compartment I3 directlyover the cylinders 'I. By this arrangement, it is seen that the fuelgravitating into chamber I'I is evenly kdistributed therein, vand as aresult equal quantities of fuel will enter each of the spouts I5 and bedischarged into compartment E3 of hopper 5 in such a manner that eachram 6 will feed an equal quantity of cinders or powderous fuel upon eachreciprocation' thereof. 'Inasmuch as the chutes I4 communicating withcompartments I2 also evenly distribute the heavier and lighter particlesof fuel, among the cylinders 'l associated therewith, the fuel fed toeach section of the stoker will be substantially uniform throughout.

Figs. 5 to 9 inclusive show an alternative construction for distributingmaterials of different kinds among each of a series of feeding devices.This construction comprises a chute 22 having downwardly inclined,substantially conical top and bottom Walls 23 and 24 respectively, and

downwardly diverging side walls 25. A substantially conical partition 26is mounted between top and bottom walls 23 and 24 dividing the interiorof chute 22 into compartments 21 and 28, the former of which may, in thepresent instance, receive cylinders or powderous fuel, while the latter,coal or coke. Top and bottom walls 23 and 24, and partition 26 terminateat the-lower ends thereof in vertical extensions 29, 30 and 3|respectively, forming with the end walls 32 vertical discharge passages33 and 34 for compartments 21 and 28. Substantially cylindrical eX-tensions 35 and 36 are secured to the upper end of chute 22 in anysuitable manner, forming inlet passages to compartments 21 and 28respectively. The discharge passages 33 and 34 of chute 22 communicaterespectively with the compartments 31 and 38 of a hopper 39. The fuelsupplied to hopper 39 gravitates into cylinders 40, and is fed to thefurnace by the rams 4I operating therein, as previously described.

rI lhe top and bottom walls 23 and 24, as well as partition 26 inclinedownwardly at an angle somewhat greater than the angle of repose, and byvirtiie1 of the conical construction thereof the materials gravit'atingin'compartments 21 and 28 will be evenly distributed across the entiredischarge end of the chute.

While the embodiments herein described are admirably adapted to fulfillthe objects primarily stated, it is to be understood that the inventionis not limited thereto, since it may be embodied in other forms, allcoming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

l. In a device of the class described, the combination of a chutecomprising upper and lower walls of substantially conical form, anddownwardly diverging side walls, a substantially conicalpartitiondisposed between said upper and lower walls dividing said chuteinto two compartments adapted to receive materials of different kinds,means dening inlet passages for each of said compartments, and extensionmeans dening discharge passages for said compartments. Y 2. In a deviceof the class described, the combination of a chute comprising upper andlower walls of substantially conical form and downwardly diverging sidewalls, a substantially conical partition disposed between said upper andlower walls and in substantially parallel relation therewith dividingsaid chute into two compartments adapted to receive materials ofdifferent kinds, means dening inlet passages for each of saidcompartments, and extension means dening discharge passages for saidcompartments.

3. A chute for conveying granular or pulverulent materials comprising,upper and lower substantially conical walls, and diverging side walls, apartition disposed between said upper andlower walls dividing the chuteinto compartments, means defining inlet openings for each of saidcompartments, and substantially vertical eXtensions provided at thelower ends of said top and bottom walls 'and said partition, saidextensions defining substantially vertical discharge'passagescommunicating with said compartments.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a chute havingupper and lower walls of substantially conical form, and downwardlydiverging side walls, means defining inlet passages for said chute, andsubstantially vertical extensions provided at the lower ends of said topand bottom walls defining a discharge passage for said chute, a secondchute superimposed upon said irst mentioned chute, having an upper wallof substantially conical form spaced from the upper wall of said firstmentioned chute, means dening an inlet opening for said second mentionedchute, and a substantially vertical extension provided at the lower endof the upper wall of said 'second .chute providing a substantiallyvertical discharge passage therefor.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a series ofmaterial receiving devices, means including an inclined member havingdownwardly diverging side edges for evenly distributing materials of onekind among all of said receiving devices, means connecting saiddistributing means with each of said receiving devices, means includinga substantially conical member for evenly distributing materials ofanother kind among all of said receiving devices, and means connectingsaid last mentioned means with each of said receiving devices.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of a series ofmaterial receiving devices, means including a conical member for evenlydistributing materials of one kind among all of said receiving devices,means connecting said distributing means with each of said receivingdevices, means including a conical member superimposed upon saiddistributing means for evenly distributing materials of another kindamong all of said receiving devices, and means connecting said lastmentioned means with each of said receiving devices.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination with a series ofmaterial receiving devices, of apparatus for evenlydistributingmaterials of different kinds among all of said receiving devices, saidapparatus comprising an inclined chute provided with a distributingmember having downwardly diverging side edges for distributing materialsof one kind among all of said receiving devices, a second means fordistributing rmaterials of another kind among all of said receivingdevices, said last mentioned means including a chamber having asubstantially conical member provided therein, said chamber having'inletand discharge openings provided therein, and spouts connecting saiddischarge openings with said receiving devices.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination with a series ofmaterial receiving devices, of apparatus for evenly distributingmaterial of different kinds among all of said receiving devices, saidapparatus comprising an inclined chute provided with a distributingelement having downwardly diverging side edges for distributingmaterials of one kind among said receiving devices, means dening inletand discharge openings for said chute, means connecting the dischargeopenings of said chute with said receiving devices, a second device fordistributing materials of another kind among all of said receivingdevices, said means comprising a chamber having a substantially conicalmember provided therein, means defining inlet and discharge openings forsaid chamber, and a series of spouts connecting said discharge openingswith said receiving ldevices.

JOSEPH S. BENNETT.

